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= THE GLASS FACTORY. =
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&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
##@§&=*~¨¨ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¨¨~*=&§@##
###@§&=*~¨ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ¨~*=&§@###
##@§&=*~¨¨ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ¨¨~*=&§@##
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ AND A GIFT SHOP. ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CONSIDERED POOR. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
##@§&=*~¨¨ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¨¨~*=&§@##
###@§&=*~¨ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ¨~*=&§@###
##@§&=*~¨¨ ¨¨~*=&§@##
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ = = ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
##@§&=*~¨¨ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ¨¨~*=&§@##
###@§&=*~¨ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ¨~*=&§@###
##@§&=*~¨¨ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ¨¨~*=&§@##
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
##@§&=*~¨¨ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ¨¨~*=&§@##
###@§&=*~¨ ¨~*=&§@###
##@§&=*~¨¨ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ¨¨~*=&§@##
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LIT FROM BEHIND. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
##@§&=*~¨¨ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ¨¨~*=&§@##
###@§&=*~¨ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¨~*=&§@###
##@§&=*~¨¨ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¨¨~*=&§@##
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ = = ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
##@§&=*~¨¨ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ¨¨~*=&§@##
###@§&=*~¨ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ¨~*=&§@###
##@§&=*~¨¨ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ¨¨~*=&§@##
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
##@§&=*~¨¨ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ¨¨~*=&§@##
###@§&=*~¨ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ¨~*=&§@###
##@§&=*~¨¨ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ¨¨~*=&§@##
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FLOOR. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
##@§&=*~¨¨ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ¨¨~*=&§@##
###@§&=*~¨ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ¨~*=&§@###
##@§&=*~¨¨ ¨¨~*=&§@##
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BECOME STILL. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ = = ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
##@§&=*~¨¨ ¨¨~*=&§@##
###@§&=*~¨ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ¨~*=&§@###
##@§&=*~¨¨ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ¨¨~*=&§@##
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*
=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=
&=*~¨¨¨¨¨¨ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨~*=&
§&=*~¨¨¨¨¨ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ¨¨¨¨¨~*=&§
@§&=*~¨¨¨¨ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ¨¨¨¨~*=&§@
#@§&=*~¨¨¨ ¨¨¨~*=&§@#
##@§&=*~¨¨ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ¨¨~*=&§@##
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